Deathgasm goes off in Austin

Jason Lei Howden’s Make My Movie winner Deathgasm premiered in Texas on the weekend to love in the early reviews.

Kimberley Crossman in Deathgasm

Other than the many tweets praising the film after its premiere screening, the Austin Chronicle’s Richard Whittaker was among the first to put fingers to keyboard, placing Deathgasm firmly within the pantheon of New Zealand comedy horrors, “side-splitting crudity and stomach-churning mutilation”.

“Deathgasm provides both,” said Whittaker, summing up a positive review thus: “Shamelessly low-brow, reaching a beer-fueled gleeful high with a zombie-vs.-sex toys battle, it’s a very metal tribute to the grand tradition of Kiwi splatter comedies”.

Calling the film “a midnight movie through and through” Shock Till You Drop’s Samuel Zimmerman praised the performances. “The three leads are a real heart to Deathgasm, their chemistry and comedy rolling naturally.”

In a review titled Deathgasm is Silly as Hell Zimmerman clearly enjoyed his night out and concluded, “Deathgasm is propulsive in its momentum, which leads to a sort of abrupt structure, but also helps to gloss over flaws inherent to low-budget splatter productions.”

Dread Central’s Drew Tinnin said, “Howden’s special effects background pays off big,” and noted, “Deathgasm knows exactly what it is and where its heart is, giving genre fans a welcome return to heavy metal in horror without cutting back on any of the splatstick that New Zealand has become known for.”